# Cob ghosts



## InsidiousTact (Dec 3, 2010)

Now, I seem to remember hearing before that cobs don't ghost all that much, spoken as a positive. But more recently, I heard that cobs ghost really bad. 

Which is it? I know that some tobaccos leave a ghost wherever they go, but in general what do you think?


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## GuitarDan (Nov 26, 2009)

Mine take a ghost solidly. Which is fine, I'm starting to dedicate pipes to particular blends anyway...
Regardless, a Missouri Meerschaum Great Dane is less than ten bucks... What's the worst that can happen?


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## Jogi (Dec 4, 2009)

I don't think so, I've smoked CB Royal+White+Golden and Erinmore Mixture+Flake all in the same cob, without ever getting even the slightest hint of ghosting, YMMV of course...


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## tedswearingen (Sep 14, 2010)

I think it depends on what you smoke. If you smoke a bowl of Cob Plug in a cob, then turn around and smoke a bowl of Ennerdale Flake, and then turn around and smoke another bowl of Cob Plug in that same corn cob pipe, you will find some funky flavors are haunting that thing. Adam Davidson and I just performed a whole bunch of experiences with this. Very interesting!


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## phineasrex (Jul 12, 2010)

I agree with Jogi, my cob has gone from Prince Albert to English blends to Erinmore Flake to straight Va's without the slightest hint of a ghost. But I don't exactly have the most developed taste buds.


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## shannensmall (Jun 30, 2010)

As I understand it, Ghosting is not just caused by the pipe absorbing flavors. It also has to do with cake build up and dirty stems. So every pipe can ghost to some degree unless completely reamed and cleaned after each smoke. 

I noticed in my Cob, after a few bowls of 965 that Dunhill VFlake still kinda tasted like the 965. So I just bought enough pipes to be able to separate them for English, Virginia, Aro blends. Actually I have enough to be able to let one set rest each day and plan on getting more. Cobs are cheap!


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## drastic_quench (Sep 12, 2008)

I've only ghosted pipes with heavy perique blends.


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## dmkerr (Oct 27, 2008)

shannensmall said:


> As I understand it, Ghosting is not just caused by the pipe absorbing flavors. It also has to do with cake build up and dirty stems.


Except for cobs, the cake and dirty stems/shanks are 98% of a ghost, IMHO. Cobs, being extra absorbent, lower that percentage somewhat.

Cake is essentially the charred remains of tobaccos past. Get one in there that is particularly strong or pungent and you have your ghost. Obviously, the more bowls of that blend one smokes, the more resilient the ghost.

Do most folks allow their cobs to cake? I don't smoke them but I believe I heard or read somewhere that they shouldn't be caked. Not sure if that's a fact or another pipe wives tale.


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## Jogi (Dec 4, 2009)

phineasrex said:


> I agree with Jogi, my cob has gone from Prince Albert to English blends to Erinmore Flake to straight Va's without the slightest hint of a ghost. * But I don't exactly have the most developed taste buds.*


Same here I guess, otherwise I've only smoked _nasty_ tobaccos so far... :smoke:


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## Kevin Keith (Jan 24, 2010)

DMK, my cobs have some cake, but it doesn't build up too much. I use Adam D.'s quick cleaning method (includes swabbing bowl with pipe cleaner) so cake is minimum. Mine all smoke and taste great, to me!


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## Kevin Keith (Jan 24, 2010)

DMK, my cobs have some cake, but it doesn't build up too much. I use Adam D.'s quick cleaning method (includes swabbing bowl with pipe cleaner) so cake is minimum. Mine all smoke and taste great, to me!


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## tedswearingen (Sep 14, 2010)

I've been smoking a cob again more lately and couldn't help but think of this thread this morning.

Right now I'm smoking McClelland's 5100 from a cob that I smoked G&H's Bosun Cut Plug in on Friday. All I can taste is Lakeland.


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## mbearer (Jun 2, 2010)

most of my cobs don't ghost or just have little wisps but because they are so cheap I have them broken down by English, VA, Va/Per, Burley.. and the exception TAMBO... 

Now that Tambo one is ghosted all to hell and back, but this could have a lot to do with the fact that the clear yellow stem is now completly jet black from the Tambo... 

Now I use that pipe for tambo AND to see how well something might else mix with tambo LOL 
Mike


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## shannensmall (Jun 30, 2010)

With Tambo being 100% pure baccy with no casing or topings, I would have never guessed that it would ghost a pipe....odd indeed.


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